


A Sylph and a Witch Walk Into a Bubble

by sunbreaksdown



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-30
Updated: 2011-07-30
Packaged: 2017-10-21 23:50:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/231247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunbreaksdown/pseuds/sunbreaksdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jade, Kanaya, and a lazy day spent frog-hunting.</p><p>(Jade turns to look at her, smiling brightly. Her teeth are smooth and white and honestly don't look like they could be useful for much of anything, unless making Kanaya's cheeks tinge with a hint of green can be considered to be an actual use.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sylph and a Witch Walk Into a Bubble

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for a request that I received over at Tumblr, from my dear friend Anonymous.

     It's easy to forget, sometimes, that they're in a dream bubble. Being asleep in Jade's case and dead, for certain values of dead, in Kanaya's case doesn't necessarily make it any less _real_ , but it's not the reality they've acclimatised to, not the world that they should be faced with.

     And it's a shame, really, because Kanaya could become used to these bubbles without any effort on her part at all. It's always warm, always sunny, and unlike anyone from Alternia, and by extension anyone she's actually ever met, Jade is happy enough to wander out in the bright streams of sunlight with her. Back on her planet before the meteors came, when there was actually a universe encasing it to speak of, Kanaya would spend long hours walking the winding paths around her hive alone, never once imagining that she'd actually have company, one day.

     They talk for hours. They talk about the ruins near their houses and hives, and the intertwined futures they'd always seen. They talk about puffy oracles and clouds, and how silly it was that they felt the need to antagonise each other, to scatter and spread through time for the purposes of trolling. Kanaya spends even longer just _looking_ at Jade, and she doesn't feel that she can be blamed for it. The human form is such a strange sight to behold, but if she ever voiced it in those terms, she'd make sure that Jade knew that _strange_ most certainly doesn't imply _bad_ in any way, shape or form. It's just so different to see a human up close, whether than they're in a dream bubble or otherwise, and Kanaya's curiosity simply refuses to be sated.

     At first, she glosses over the similarities. It's an automatic thing, and it makes it seem like there are fewer differences between them than there really are; they're both bipedal, their limbs match up, and while Kanaya is ever so slightly taller, there isn't any real size discrepancy to pick up on; but every time she glances Jade's way she notices something new. Her skin tone is the most obvious thing, of course, and Jade is such an oddly pale shade of pink that Kanaya finds it difficult to refrain from reaching out and placing a hand against her cheek, because surely her skin must be made from some different texture in order to look quite so soft. Kanaya keeps her hands to herself, of course. Along the same line of thought, Jade's hair looks to be made of something different, too; something less prickly that actually allows the light to reflect in it. When she looks carefully enough, and when the light hits it in just the right places, Kanaya sees flecks of auburn and red flare up.

     Of course, she's going about her observations very scientifically. She's encountered somebody of a new species, so of course it makes sense to take detailed mental notes, even if it is just about the way the whites of her eyes are beautifully clear, making the greens of her iris stand out all the more. It's simply something that's important to note, because it's another difference to take into account. Human eyes clearly don't fill with the colour of their blood upon reaching maturity as trolls' do.

     Today, like many days that have proceeded it, they're hunting frogs. For once, however, Kanaya can't say why, exactly, because they've already informed Karkat that they've gathered all of the frogs they need, what with Echidna having offered up her help. At a price, naturally, but Kanaya and Jade are both doing a good job of not thinking about that part, and Kanaya decides that it's alright to go along with whatever Jade says, if it's only for a little while. They have another afternoon to spare wading through the warm, waist-deep waters of lakes rich in algae before everything breaks apart and they all embrace their inevitable demise.

     Not that Kanaya is in any way pessimistic. She's just trying to approach this all rationally, and if she's honest, she hasn't felt as upbeat as she does now in a long, long time. At first she'd assigned it to her newly earnt rank of rainbow drinker, but she doesn't believe the adrenaline rush could've lasted for so very long, or if she still can, in fact, succumb to adrenaline surging through her body after the whole rising from the dead thing. If Jade says they need to make sure they have a spare of a certain frog, then they need a spare of a certain frog.

     Even if it's thus far taken them two hours longer to hunt down than it did the first time.

>   
> Jade  
> After Our Recent Textual Encounter With A Past Version Of Karkat Theres Something Im Curious About   
> oh whats that kanaya?  
> i hope its not about why hes so grumpy all the time because i really dont know  
> hehehehe   
> Oh No I Would Never Expect You To Hold The Answers To A Mystery So Unfathomable  
> It Was Actually Regarding The Vampire Creatures From Earth Lore   
> well....  
> honestly rose probably knows more about that than i do, but ill do my best to help out!!   
> 

     It's early evening by this point. Pleasantly warm without causing them to break out into a sweat as they scale a steep hillside, and bright enough that the sun still catches the natural redness of Jade's lips. She's wearing an oversized straw hat with a green lace around it and a wide brim, and Kanaya thinks she looks quite fashionable. Earth must have been a wonderful place if all of the ladies upon its surface were quite as fashion-minded as Jade clearly is, what with having been in possession of a wardrobifier.

     At the peak of the hill, they look down into a valley, where a lake spreads out before them. Kanaya isn't entirely sure why she's hesitant to speak, but Jade doesn't seem averse to a few moments of silence.

>   
> Well I Hope You Will Not Assume I Am Over Analysing Your Words To Too Great A Degree But  
> I Was Wondering  
> If There Is A Certain Level Of Attractiveness Required For One To Be Considered An Earth Rainbow Drinker   
> um......  
> maybe??  
> hehe do you remember that vampire series of books i told you about?   
> Oh Yes Of Course In Fact I Once Saw A Suspiciously Comparable Alternian Romantic Comedy With Karkat  
> He Assumed I Would Like It Because Of The Presence Of Rainbow Drinkers And Metamorphic Howlbeasts  
> However The Ending Was Somewhat Different  
> In That The Main Character In Questions Lack Of Ability To Choose Between The Two Potential Matesprits And Her Constant Streak Of Supposedly Endearingly Clumsy Behaviour Were Viewed As Weaknesses  
> And She Was Promptly Culled Two Perigees Before She Was Due To Depart From The Planet And Join The Intergalactic Battle    
> troll cinema is so weird  
> maybe that's why karkat is always so angry!   
> Hmmm You May Well Be Onto Something There   
> well anyway in that movie the vampire was supposed to be really attractive!  
> but that was just him i'm not sure they make vampires take a handsomeness test or anything   
> 

     Jade turns to look at her, smiling brightly. Her teeth are smooth and white and and honestly don't look like they could be useful for much of anything, unless making Kanaya's cheeks tinge with a hint of green can be considered to be an actual use. She picks up the pace, almost running down the hillside, attention quickly returning to hunting frogs. It's actually an incredibly relaxing task, and Kanaya thinks it would make for a wonderful summer activity, if summer activities were something that actually existed on Alternia.

>   
> why did you ask that anyway?  
> it seems like a funny thing to be curious about   
> Oh  
> Its Nothing Really  
> Just That When Karkat Enquired Into What A Vampire Was The First Word You Used To Describe My New Identity Was  
> Um  
> Pretty   
> ...... ummm  
> well that was so karkat would know what you look like of course   
> Karkat Is My Best Friend As Previously Mentioned We Regularly And Platonically Engaged In The Viewing Of Numerous Movies Together  
> I Am Certain He Is Already Well Acquainted With My Appearance   
> errr......   
> 

     This time it's Jade's turn to pick up the pace. She practically bounds down to the edge of the lake, and before Kanaya has the chance to wonder how she's managed to say something so miraculously wrong, she's already kicking off her shoes and rolling her trousers up. Kanaya quickly comes to the conclusion that there's no other option but to drop the subject completely and pretend she never said anything to make Jade uncomfortable in the least, and return to the task at hand. Frog hunting. That's what they're there for. Absolutely nothing else.

     She catches up with Jade in due time, removes her own footwear and bunches her skirt up around her waist, and reminds herself over and over again that it's only a dream bubble, and her clothing isn't _really_ going to be ruined by the still green water. She dips in just a toe at first, expecting the water to be cold, but it's so invitingly warm that she steps in without hesitation, quickly making her way over to where the water becomes deeper. Jade is still ahead of her, but when she turns back she's all smiles and smooth white teeth again, and Kanaya can't help but mirror the expression, hoping that her fangs aren't too off-putting to a human.

     Jade walks in slow, heavy strides over to her, water already half way up her thighs, and Kanaya catches sight of a few golden-orange fish darting around under the surface as the plants in the lake-bed swirl around her pale feet. She doesn't stop until she's right in front of Kanaya; so close, in fact, that Kanaya wonders if she should take a step back and if she is, in fact, subconsciously leaning back as she fears she might be. She does her best to hold her ground, even if the ground is currently under a few feet of water and curling between her bare toes, and then distracts herself by reaching out to adjust the brim of Jade's hat that's ever so slightly lopsided.

     Jade giggles under her breath, and when the laughter subsides, they hear a frog croak from across the lake. Neither of them turn to face it, and Jade simply reaches up, removing her hat. Kanaya tilts her head to the side, watching as Jade places it atop the water, and then flicks it, causing it to drift a few inches across the surface before slowing to a lazy sort of spin.

>   
> ok i might as well just be honest  
> i only said that to karkat because its the first thing that came into my mind   
> Oh I  
> See   
> i hope youre not angry or anything, kanaya  
> and i'm sure that you were a very pretty girl even before you became a rainbowpire!!   
> Well  
> Thank You  
> Perhaps We Should Now Return Our Attentions To  
> Catching Frogs   
> hehe dont be silly  
> you know that we already have all the frogs!   
> Yes I Was Always Aware Of That Much But I Believed You Had Your Reasons For Doing This  
> You Always Seem To Have Your Reasons Even If Said Reasons Are Enigmas Which In Turn Are Shrouded In Mysteries Made Up From Thousand Piece Puzzles   
> well i actually had an.............  
> ulterior motive!!  
> hehe   
> 

     Jade pushes herself up on her tiptoes to move closer, and it's becoming startlingly clear to Kanaya what that ulterior motive may well be. That said, she's been wrong about these sorts of things many, many times before, and she doesn't want to leap to any conclusions. Even if said conclusions are more or less directly in front of her face. She does a spectacular job of freezing up entirely, and knows that even if it was the middle of the night, the whole of the lake's surface would light up with dancing flashes of pale colour where she's glowing to such a ridiculous degree.

     Realising that she can't very well stay glued to the spot forever, Kanaya goes ahead and does just about the smoothest thing she can think of: she lifts both hands and places them atop Jade's head. Jade scrunches up her face in confused amusement, and doesn't seem to mind the whole obscure gesture too much. Kanaya can't help it. She still hasn't dealt with how oddly flat the top of humans' heads look, what with their lack of horns, and for the longest time she's just needed to feel it for herself. It seems that it is indeed now or never, and so she very carefully runs her hands over the top of Jade's head, feeling the uninterrupted curve of her spongeshell, smiling softly at the feel of her hair threading between her fingers. All of the colour rushes to Jade's face, turning her a delightful shade of red, and the extent of her reaction is enough to restore Kanaya's confidence once again.

>   
> Jade  
> You Are A Very Pretty Human Girl  
> And As A Very Pretty Human Girl I Believe You Are Entitled To Prior Warning  
> So Here It Is  
> I Am Going To Kiss You Now   
> oh ok  
> its definitely about time kanaya!!   
> 

     And with the warm water moved by nothing more than a gentle breeze around their legs, Kanaya slides her hands down from the curiously smooth top of Jade's head, until her palms rest against her face, and, oh, it really is soft as she'd expected it to be. Jade's eyes are already closed and Kanaya moves in slowly but surely, taking great care not to knock her glasses askew in the process, and very gently presses her lips to Jade's.

     She moves a little without meaning to. Just a step back when Jade leans against her and almost catches her off-guard, and she feels a lily-pad press against the backs of her thighs as she kisses her softly; she hears another frog croak, feels the sun warm on her skin, but in that moment, none of that truly registers to her. All that she can even begin to comprehend there and then is the feel of Jade's arms wrapped around her waist, the way she can feel her breath against her lips every time the kiss seems to slow. Not because it's threatening to die out, but because the two of them are gradually becoming used to each other, to being there in their bubble, cut off from the rest of reality with only an ensemble of frogs to share in the moment.


End file.
